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Chronic Pain After Hernia Repair

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Practical Chronic Pain Management

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Abstract

Hernia repair is one of the most common surgeries performed worldwide. Despite a technically successful procedure, patients may persist with or develop pain after a reparative procedure, known as chronic post-herniorrhaphy inguinal pain (CPIP). The rate of discomfort after inguinal hernia surgery varies from 0.2% to 10–15% in the reported literature (Donati et al., BMC Surg 13(Suppl 2):S19, 2013; Condon, Ann Surg 233(1):8, 2001). Multiple factors have been found to be associated with the development of chronic pain after the surgery. Most important factors associated with high incidence of chronic pain are nerve damage, poor pain control, and poor pain coping skill. Incidence of chronic pain has been reported anywhere from 15% to 53%. Overall reported incidence at 3 years after surgery is around 23–30% with 10% of patients reporting pain as severe. Many patients are debilitated by this condition. The chronic post-surgical pain is categorized as either neuropathic or non-neuropathic. The distinction is important for proper management but not easy. The pain control may require medication therapy and/or various interventional therapies. Neurectomy, along with re-repair of a recurrent hernia as well as possible mesh removal and/or tack removal, has been advocated by surgeons with varying results. Pain control in the early phases of recovery is important, as patients with higher postoperative pain scores early in recovery are likely to continue with chronic pain (Callesen et al., Br J Surg 86(12):1528–1531, 1999).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Nicholas Kirch

  2. Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Maunak V. Rana

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  1. Nicholas Kirch
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  2. Maunak V. Rana
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Correspondence to Maunak V. Rana .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Tariq Malik

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Kirch, N., Rana, M.V. (2020). Chronic Pain After Hernia Repair. In: Malik, T. (eds) Practical Chronic Pain Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46675-6_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46675-6_26

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-46674-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-46675-6

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